The Metamorphosis
Section III Post-Reading Questions
1. How has Gregor’s injury affected him physically?
Gregor is only able to move with great difficulty; he is “reduced to the condition of an ancient invalid.” He can no
longer crawl on the walls or the ceiling.
2. Why is the living room door now left open? How have the family conversations changed?
Gregor’s family now leaves the living room door open because his condition “seemed serious enough” to remind
them that he was a “family member.” He also poses little threat since he has practically been rendered immobile.
3. How does the charwoman react to Gregor?
The charwoman is not afraid of Gregor and refers to him as “ the old dung-beetle.” She opens the door to his
room but does not clean it. When Gregor attempts to attack her, she threatens to bash him with a chair.
4. How has the condition of Gregor’s room changed? What does this indicate about his family’s care for him?
Gregor’s room grows steadily more filthy as Grete has grown tired of seeing to it. Eventually renters move in and
extra household belongings are shoved into Gregor’s room. The deterioration of his room represents the
deterioration of his family’s feelings for him.
5. Who comes to live with the family? What is the significance of the new characters?
Three renters move in with the family. They are serious, bearded men who are obsessed with cleanliness. These
new characters get the best of Gregor’s family’s attention.
6. How does his sister’s violin performance affect Gregor and why?
Something stirs in Gregor when Grete plays the violin in the living room. He crawls out of his room drawn by the
sound and, "it hardly occurred to him that he had become so thoughtless about the others." Gregor's lack of
consideration, however, is only a response to his family's lack of consideration for him. Having been treated with
neglect, he now neglects them in return, crawling out of the room in plain view of everyone. Gregor is now free: not
only does he not have to work, but he is also no longer bothered by guilt. As an insect, he doesn't seem to need
much more freedom than that. He has finally escaped all the traps that had been set for him. Gregor poses a
question: "was he an animal if music could captivate him so?"
Grade 10: The Metamorphosis
